What's Up, Up Here? Jan. 18-24 | News snippets from here and there

January 18, 2013

Lucky that Tim Alpers has 48-hour days, huh? He’s on the Board of Supervisors after a 29-year hiatus, still has his nose in the fish business (and fish politics), and now is about to unleash a very handsome book about his days as a basketball coach at Mammoth, Bishop, Nevada, and Tulsa. The book is in the final stages, but we got to see a proof of “My Sphere of Influence: ... A Life in Basketball.” For those wondering about the title, it’s a very nifty double-entendre, dating back to the Mammoth Incorporation days. …

After 10 years or so, maybe it’s time those cross country ski trail markers along Meridian Boulevard get the heave-ho, says Public Works Director Ray Jarvis, with a gentle push from trails advocate John Wentworth. The “ski trail” actually is the walk/bike path next to the golf course. It is a snow-storage area and never—ever—was a ski trail, but those signs sure enough served notice to the warm-weather visitors that maybe Mammoth gets a lot of snow. ...

A note from the coast: The Mavericks big wave surfing contest will occur Sunday, Jan. 20, near Santa Cruz. Big-Wave surfers are starting to assemble. …

Assembly Member Frank Bigelow, R-O’Neals, a businessman and rancher nabbed a spot as Vice-Chair of the Assembly’s Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee for the 2012-14 legislative. While we wait to find out how that’ll work out, we’re still trying to figger out his 5th District, which represents all or parts of Placer County, El Dorado County, Alpine County, Amador County, Calaveras County, Tuolumne County, Mariposa County, Madera County and Mono County. ...

While in Sacto, chew on this: There are 64 standing committees in the Assembly and Senate. ...

We have the can’t-waits for the staged reading of Bernard Slade’s comedy “Same Time, Next Year,” which opens a two-day run at the Edison Theatre tonight (Jan. 18) and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. It’s an “Evening with the Stars” event, featuring professional actors. A fundraiser, tix go for $35 a pop, and if yez want wine and hors d’oeuvres, toss in an extra 20 bucks. Contact www.EdisonTheatre.org or call 760-934-6592. …

Just for the heck of it: Pauline Phillips, dead at 94. Our advice is to rest in peace. …

Yup, that was Olympic skier and all around bon vivantBode Miller in town, swinging by the Slopeside Center to offer wee bits of advice to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Team. Miller is taking the season off from the World Cup this year, but that doesn’t mean he abandoned snow—not in the least—or his commitment to nurturing young athletes. ...

Last year didn’t serve as much of a benchmark for the refurbished and snazzed up Tube Park on the hill, what with not much snow to work with. But this year, says Mammmoth Mountain’s Joani Lynch, the number of people using it is over the top. We say that’s in no small part to the work of tubemeisterMike Colbert, who keeps the joint jumpin.’ …

Two weeks too late to vent, businessman Eric Wasserman finally got his chance on Tuesday, Jan. 15, when the late, great Mobility Commission had its last meeting before disappearing at the behest of the Town Council. “I’m not very happy with those people,” he said, noting that the demise of the commission happened on Jan. 2, when he and many others in the community were out of town for the holidays. “It was unethical to notify us by email during the holidays,” said he. Also on his mind was that his objections, via email, did not get any feedback. “Nobody even gave me the courtesy of a reply,” he said. …

In case nobody has noticed, there has been a change in snowplow techniques among the work crews. This year, the plows are not plowing all the way to the surface—the result of budget streamlining in the town.